In the first blog of this autism series, you, as a parent, were encouraged to learn as much as possible in order to be able to answer the question, “What can I do for my child?” You’ve read my blogs – and hopefully a lot of other information available from credible sources – and are ready for the next step in helping your child.
There is no single, one-size-fits-all treatment or therapy for individuals with autism and there is no “cure.” But, there are options that can help your child reduce or minimize daily challenges and learn new skills.
Medication may be the first course of treatment recommended, and you and your child’s physician must make that decision together. There are medications available to help manage things like anxiety, aggression, and even repetitive behavior, and many individuals, including children, benefit from medications. Again, only you and your child’s doctor can make this decision.
There are also social services and programs, support groups, and other resources available for children with autism and their parents. These are all valuable resources, and you may want to seek additional information about these services; however, I believe structured therapy is one of the most important and valuable resources available to you and your child. Many children with autism receive speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, physical therapy, or any combination of these. You are encouraged to seek additional information regarding any or all of these therapies. Here, we will talk about speech therapy for children with autism.
Even if your child is receiving speech therapy services in school, medical speech therapy is an important resource available to you and your child. One-on-one speech therapy may or may not be provided for your child in the school setting, and communication objectives are often integrated into the IEP for implementation in the general and/or special education classrooms or other settings. Communication learning in larger environments, such as the classroom, is very important; however, there are many specialized treatment objectives that will complement, or may be necessary for, communication success outside the therapy setting. Speech therapists are communication specialists and are considered by many physicians and other professionals to be the primary therapist for individuals with autism. Remember, autism is a social-communication disorder. Regardless of other resources and therapies available to you and your child, as you seek to provide him or her with the best possible support, chances are you will likely have experience or interaction with speech therapy.
In the medical field, speech therapists are considered ancillary, or allied, medical professionals. Even though the doctor will write the order for speech therapy for your child, you can be your child’s advocate by choosing the right therapist! Any licensed speech therapist is technically qualified to work with your child, but you must be sure that the therapist you choose is also knowledgeable about autism and interested in working with children with autism. A license in speech-language pathology encompasses the field of communication disorders, and many therapists have no specialized expertise or interest in working with individuals with autism. That doesn’t mean they are unqualified therapists by any means; it just means that autism is not where their interest and expertise lie. To use myself as an example, I do not have specialized knowledge about swallow disorders, and I would not work with an individual who needed a specialist in that area. Your child will spend a lot of valuable time with the therapist you choose, so be sure that therapist is knowledgeable and interested in working with your child with autism.
Hopefully, a speech-language pathologist was involved in the diagnosis of autism for your child, so he or she will have the benefit of the clinical information gathered in the assessment. If a speech therapist was not involved in your child’s diagnosis, it is imperative that a speech-language evaluation be completed to determine the best ways to improve communication for your child. Notice that I didn’t say, “improve speech.” Speech is just one way we communicate, and your child needs to be able to communicate as completely and efficiently as possible. Communication training may involve the development of oral speech and language or alternative ways to use language to communicate. Electronic devices (even iPads), picture displays, and sign language are examples of communication systems that can enable your child’s communication abilities. Your speech therapist will develop a specialized treatment plan with long- and short-term goals designed to facilitate communication success for your child.
After the diagnosis, when should therapy begin? The answer is now – the sooner, the better. Autism is usually diagnosed between the ages of two and four, and it is very important to start speech therapy as early as possible. The early years are most important for developing speech and language for children, and children with autism are no exception. Early intervention is ideal, but therapy can be very beneficial for older children as well. Research has shown that children who improve their communication skills the most are those who receive the most speech therapy. Intensive, specialized therapy is designed to improve the overall communication skills of children who have been diagnosed with autism.
Don’t delay. Please contact me for more information.